{"author_name":"machine_screen","cat":"LD #21","comments":[],"epoch":1314042540,"likes":0,"metadata":{"p_key":"63755","p_author":"machine_screen","p_authorkey":"505360","p_urlkey":"99540","p_title":"Escaping the Rat Race\u2026 The game wot I made","p_cat":"LD #21","p_event":"LD21","p_time":"1314042540","p_likes":"0","p_comments":"0","p_status":"UPD5","us_key":"505360","us_name":"machine_screen","us_username":"machine_screen","event_start":"1313712000","event_key":"7","event_name":"LD21"},"text":"<p>As I failed to post a single blog entry whilst I was actually making my game I thought I&#8217;d instead lump it all into some horrendous mega-post after the event.\u00a0 Only the brave should read on.<\/p>\n <p>So my game, <a title=\"Escaping the Rat Race...\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ludumdare.com\/compo\/ludum-dare-21\/?action=rate&amp;uid=4895\" target=\"_blank\">Escaping the Rat Race&#8230;<\/a>, is all about how working for the man sucks and how we all would like to quit and make a shed load of cash doing something infinitely cooler, like developing our own indie games (if we haven&#8217;t done already!).\u00a0 That&#8217;s the escape, the escape of being your own boss.\u00a0 I have to say I made this game from the perspective of someone who&#8217;s never done it, I&#8217;m sure it&#8217;s not all wonderful and rosy, but the feeling of getting up in the morning and knowing you&#8217;re going to work on something you personally care about and have a massive stake in is frankly intoxicating.<\/p>\n <p>In with that context in mind that you should play the game.\u00a0 Some of the design and content decisions I made were extremely specific, including making some elements of the game frustrating and annoying because I thought it best represented my message.\u00a0 Please don&#8217;t hate me for them, and, in hindsight, maybe you should turn down the sound in the rat race section&#8230;\u00a0 There are a couple of annoying bugs with some of the variables and the rats tail is still hilariously disembodied but I probably wouldn&#8217;t change a great deal about the game apart from a little spit and polish here and there, including spending more time on the frankly very crude graphics.<\/p>\n <p>This is the first game I have made in a long time, probably something ridiculous like over 10 years.\u00a0 I used to make little games on Klik and Play in my mid-teens and then I didn&#8217;t even think about making any for ages.\u00a0 It&#8217;s only recently I&#8217;ve decided I do really like games and want to have a hand in making them.\u00a0 Alas I&#8217;m not a programmer, or an artist, or anything particularly useful for making games (I&#8217;m a mechanical engineer in another life) so it&#8217;s always been that nagging hobby I&#8217;ve never indulged again until now.\u00a0 Therefore I &#8216;cheated&#8217; and used Scirra Construct Classic which was only mildly frustrated in places.\u00a0 Ludum Dare has been such an awe inspiring and encouraging event for me and I cannot fathom the quality of some entries.<\/p>\n <p>I realise I&#8217;m probably rambling by now so I&#8217;ll finish off &#8211; it didn&#8217;t turn out to be that epic a post after all.\u00a0 Please let me know what you think of my little entry, I&#8217;d be intrigued.<\/p>","time":"August 22nd, 2011 2:49 pm","title":"Escaping the Rat Race\u2026 The game wot I made"}